HMT Calliope II
HMT Calliope II. (Adty No 367 ) 05/03/1916
Displacement: 240 grt.
Length: 36.7 m. Beam: 6.6 m. Draught: 3.6 m
Propulsion: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft, 1 screw
Complement: officers and men.
Men Lost: 1
Armament: 1 x 3pdr
Displacement: 240 grt.
Length: 36.7 m. Beam: 6.6 m. Draught: 3.6 m
Propulsion: 1 x 3 cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft, 1 screw
Complement: officers and men.
Men Lost: 1
Armament: 1 x 3pdr
The steel steam trawler Calliope built in 1907 by Smith T. & W., North Shields for Pettitt D., Milford Haven and registered M 214.
In 1914 requisitioned by the Admiralty as a minesweeper and in 1915 renamed HMT Calliope II.
On the 5th of March 1916 HMT Calliope II was involved in a collision with the Norwegian steamship S.S. Dana off the Butt of Lewis and sank with the loss of one crew member.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce - Wednesday 22 March 1916.
DANA (s). of Haugesund. on passage from Iceland to Mediterranean with fish, lies been in collision with an English steamer. which sank. She put into Stornoway. (Haugesund. March 13.)
Footnote: 9th March 1917, The SS Dana was on a voyage from Christiania, Norway to Hull with a cargo of condensed milk, and was sunk by the UC-76 (Wilhelm Barten), south of Sumbrough Head, Shetland. The crew survived.
In 1914 requisitioned by the Admiralty as a minesweeper and in 1915 renamed HMT Calliope II.
On the 5th of March 1916 HMT Calliope II was involved in a collision with the Norwegian steamship S.S. Dana off the Butt of Lewis and sank with the loss of one crew member.
Liverpool Journal of Commerce - Wednesday 22 March 1916.
DANA (s). of Haugesund. on passage from Iceland to Mediterranean with fish, lies been in collision with an English steamer. which sank. She put into Stornoway. (Haugesund. March 13.)
Footnote: 9th March 1917, The SS Dana was on a voyage from Christiania, Norway to Hull with a cargo of condensed milk, and was sunk by the UC-76 (Wilhelm Barten), south of Sumbrough Head, Shetland. The crew survived.
The Wreck Today.
The UKHO has no wreck card for HMT Calliope II and to date the wreck has not been located.
Crew Lost †05/03/1916

Alexander MacRae - HMT Calliope II
Royal Naval Reserve - Deck Hand DA 7255
Alexander was born in 1891 in Aignish, Stornoway, Ross-shire to parents Evander and Christina (MacKay), the youngest of four children and just five months old when listed on the 1891 Scotland census. The family lived in Stornoway along with a servant and Christina’s sister.
On the 1901 Scotland census Alexander was aged ten and attended school in Stornoway, living at “Squatters House” along with his family and Grandmother.
He enrolled with the RNR on 28th May 1915, listed as 5’4” tall with grey eyes and a fair complexion, his address as 10 Aignish, Stornoway. He was assigned to the trawler Calliope shortly after his enlisting, under Ioaire, on which he served until his death.
A pension was awarded to his father following his death, along with his Star, Victory and British war medals, issued in March 1925.
He is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, locally on the village memorial in Point, Garrabost and on the Lewis War Memorial, Stornoway.
Oban Times and Argyllshire Advertiser - Saturday 27 May 1916
CLAN MACRAE ROLL OF HONOUR. ;
Aiguish. AB. Seaman Alex. Macrae, RNR drowned, Patrol Boat.
Sources:
1891, 1901 Scotland Census
UK, Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 BT 377/87/53709
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 013 (1914 Jan 01 - 1919 Dec 31)
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/9; Scan Number: 0348
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 122
Photo from facesmemorial.blogspot.com
Researched by Wendy Sadler
Royal Naval Reserve - Deck Hand DA 7255
Alexander was born in 1891 in Aignish, Stornoway, Ross-shire to parents Evander and Christina (MacKay), the youngest of four children and just five months old when listed on the 1891 Scotland census. The family lived in Stornoway along with a servant and Christina’s sister.
On the 1901 Scotland census Alexander was aged ten and attended school in Stornoway, living at “Squatters House” along with his family and Grandmother.
He enrolled with the RNR on 28th May 1915, listed as 5’4” tall with grey eyes and a fair complexion, his address as 10 Aignish, Stornoway. He was assigned to the trawler Calliope shortly after his enlisting, under Ioaire, on which he served until his death.
A pension was awarded to his father following his death, along with his Star, Victory and British war medals, issued in March 1925.
He is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, locally on the village memorial in Point, Garrabost and on the Lewis War Memorial, Stornoway.
Oban Times and Argyllshire Advertiser - Saturday 27 May 1916
CLAN MACRAE ROLL OF HONOUR. ;
Aiguish. AB. Seaman Alex. Macrae, RNR drowned, Patrol Boat.
Sources:
1891, 1901 Scotland Census
UK, Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955 BT 377/87/53709
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 013 (1914 Jan 01 - 1919 Dec 31)
CWGC Register
Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/9; Scan Number: 0348
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 122
Photo from facesmemorial.blogspot.com
Researched by Wendy Sadler